J26 ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. L 



*' changing its place. At length the motion ac- 

 ■" celerates ; and at the point where the fphere 

 *' feemed motionlefs, two crofs divifions begin to 

 *' be vifible, exactly hke the hufk of a chefnut 

 *' ready to burft. In a little longer, the animal 

 *' appears agitated, and making great exertions, 

 *' and at lafl divides into four, the fame as the 

 *' producing animalcule, but fmaller. Thefe 

 *' grow larger, and each divides into four, which, 

 " in their turn, increafe. I could fee no end to 

 *^' the fubdivifions ; the young always became 

 *' equal to their parents, if we may ufe the word 

 ^' parent in this finguiar mode of generation." 

 M. Bonnet adds the following words : * In 



* the lafl fpecies of animalcula is another analogy 



* with cluiter polypi evident : We know that 



* thefe create a little vortex in the water, which 



* precipitates the food towards their mouth. Our 



* animalcula perform a fimilar operation, and 

 ' furely v/ith the fame intent,* 



In this new courfe of experiments, I have had 

 the advantage of examining M. de Sauflure*s dif- 

 coveiy, to verify and extend it, and find, that 

 befides the fpecies he obferved, there are many 

 others which propagate by a natural divifion, but 

 often in the moft finguiar and unaccountable 

 manner. We may begin with the fimpleft; and 

 firik. with the tranfverfe divifion, being that 

 mientioned by the Qenevefe profefTor. It fuc- 



ceeds 



